Door lock



J. H. ROETHEL Dec. 6, 1966 noon LOCK Filed Aug. 17, 1964 d N R W; m E: 0V0 7, N r IF H H United States Patent 3,290,078 DOOR LOCK John H.Roethel, South Miami, Fla. 5455 sw. 87th St., Miami, Fla.) Filed Aug.17, 1964, Ser. No. 390,046 2 Claims. (Cl. 292-53) This invention relatesto latch mechanism for swinging doors, especially the doors ofautomobile or other vehicle bodies.

Of current interest in automotive design is the use of double-jawlatching mechanisms in which a striker pin is engaged between a pair ofopposed jaws to maintain a vehicle door in a latched condition. Thepresent invention is embodied in an improved latch mechanism of thisgeneral category, and comprises a pair of opposed latching jaws orelements pivotally supported on the main plate portion of the latchmechanism. Both of the latching jaws are fixedly coupled to control orratchet plates which are engageable by pivoted detent or pawl means forholding the latching jaws in latched position. The latch mechanismincludes improved inner and outer manually operable actuating means forsimultaneously swinging or pivotally actuating the detent or pawl meansto disengage the same from the control or ratchet plates. Also includedare improved control means for selectively controlling the effectivenessof the actuating means in the actuation thereby of the detent orpawl-means.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved door latchmechanism which will effectively meet various requirements for vehicledoor locks, which is characterized by simplification and compactness inconstruction, which is easy and economical to manufacture, and which iscomparatively quiet, reliable and durable in use.

Further objects and features of the particular embodiment of theinvention herein illustrated will appear in the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of thespecification wherein like reference numerals designate correspondingparts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation taken substantially through lines 11 ofFIG. 2 illustrating a door latch mechanism constructed in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantially through lines 2-2 ofFIG. 1; and 1 FIG. 3 is an elevation -of the door latch mechanism takenfrom the side opposite to that shown in FIG. 1.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also,it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawing there is illustrated, by way of example, a certainembodiment of the present invention as adapted to be applied to the doorand door frame structures of an automobile body. The latch mechanismcomprises a case plate 11 which is adapted to be secured, as by means ofscrews, to the inner side of the jamb portion of a vehicle door (notshown). The case plate 11 has a flange 12 which is adapted to bepositioned along an inner panel of the door.

The present latch mechanism has a pair of pivoted latch devicescomprising jaw elements 13 (see FIG. 3) positioned at the outer face ofthe case plate 11. Each jaw element, 13 is provided with an integralshaft or pivot portion 14 which extends through a suitable flanged aper-Patented Dec. 6, 1966 ture (not visible) in the case plate. Suitablebearing means (not shown) are provided within the flanged aperture forjournalling each pivot shaft 14 for pivotal movement and for holding thejaw elements on the plate portion. Each jaw element 13 is keyed orotherwise fixedly coupled through its pivot shaft 14 to a control plate15, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. Each jaw element 13 is asubstantially triangular plate member having its pivot. action locatednear its apex. The base side or the side 16 opposite the apex isprovided in the center with a semi-circular recess or enlarged notch 17adapted to encompass a cylindrical striker or keeper pin (not shown).

Each control plate 15 is provided with two peripherally spaced abutmentsor ratchet teeth 18 and 19. Cooperable with the abutment or ratchettoothed edge of the upper control plate 15 is a swinging detent or pawl21 pivotally mounted on a shoulder rivet 22 secured to the case plate11. It will be noted that the detent or pawl 21 extends in asubstantially horizontal direction across the case plate 11 from theshoulder rivet 22 toward the flange 12. The detent or pawl 21 has anabutment portion 23 cooperable with the teeth or abutments 18 and 19 onthe upper control plate 15. It will be further noted that the detent orpawl 21 is located above the upper control plate 15, that the ratchetteeth or abutments 18 and 19 are located on the upper peripheral surfaceof the upper control plate 15, and that the abutment portion 23 of thedetent depends from the detent in position to engage either of theratchet teeth 18 or 19.

The lower control plate 15 is symmetrical to the upper control plate 15,and is placed on its pivot shaft so that the ratchet teeth 18 and 19 arelocated at the lower peripheral edge or in oppositely disposedrelationship to the ratchet teeth 18 and 19 on the upper control plate15. The reason for this will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

Cooperable with the abutment or ratchet-toothed edge of the lowercontrol plate 15 is a swinging detent or pawl 24 pivotally mounted on apivot stud or shoulder rivet 25 secured to the case plate 11. Thisdetent or pawl 24 also extends in a substantially horizontal directionacross the case plate 11 from its shoulder rivet 25 toward the flange12. The detent -or pawl 24 has an abutment portion 26 corresponding tothe abutment portion on the detent 21. The abutment portion 26 iscooperable with the abutment or teeth 18 and 19 on the lower controlplate 15.

When the detent abutment portions 23 and 26, respectively, are inengagement with the control plate abutments 19, the jaw elements 13 willbe held in what is known as a secondary latched position. When in thissecondary latched position, the relationship of these jaw elements to astriker or keeper pin entrapped therebetween creates sufficientinterference to prevent opening movement of the vehicle door. The doorwill not, however, be held against vibratory movement in a verticaldirection, and it is expected that the rattling noise that will ensue asthe vehicle is driven about will call the occupants attention to thefact that the door is not fully latched. When the abutment .portions 23and 26 are in engagement with the respective control plate abutments 18,as seen in FIG. 1, both jaw elements 13 are in final or fully latchedposition.

Pivotal actuation of the detent or pawl 21 in a clockwise direction, asviewed in FIG. 1, or in a direction out of the path of the abutments 18and 19 of the upper control plate 15 is accomplished through a releaselever, generally designated 27, having a common pivot axis with thedetent 21 on the pivot stud 22. This lever has a horizontally extendingarm 28 which extends toward the case plate flange 12 and a verticallydepending arm 29. The horizontally extending arm 28 underlies a lug 31on the 2 detent or pawl 21 so that when the lever 27 is swung in aclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, upward movement of its arm 28will be transmitted through the rivet 31 to the detent 21 causing thelatter to be lifted out of the path of the abutments 18 and 19 on theupper control plate 15.

The lever 27 is adapted to be operated by an outside operator, such as apush button mounted in a handle mounted on the outer panel of thevehicle door. Only a portion 32 of the stern of the outside operator isshown, the stem portion 32 abutting a flange 33 on the lower end of thelever arm 29.

Because the present latch mechanism embodies a double detent or pawlsystem, it is readily apparent that provision also must be made forpivotal actuation of the detent or pawl 24 in a clockwise direction, asviewed in FIG. 1, or in a direction out of the path of the abutments 18and 19 on the lower control plate 15. This is accomplished through asecond release lever, generally designated 34, which has a common pivotaxis with the detent 24 on the pivot stud 25. The lever 34 has ahorizontally extending arm 35 which extends toward the case plate flange12 and a vertically upwardly extending arm 36. The horizontallyextending arm is riveted through a shoulder rivet 37 to the detent orpawl 24 so that when the lever 34 is swung in a counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 1, downward movement of its arm 35 will betransmitted through the rivet 37 to the detent 24 causing the latter tobe moved downwardly out of the path of the abutments 18 and 19 on thelower control plate 15.

The second lever 34 is responsive to movement of the first mentionedlever 27. It will be noted that the arm 36 of the second lever 34extends upwardly into abutting relation to the flange 33 on the lever27. At its extremity the arm 36 may have a bushing-like element 38riveted thereto, this element being of a hard rubber, nylon or the liketo eliminate metal to metal contact between the flange 33 and the end ofthe arm 36.

Through the foregoing arrangement, movement of the push button stem 32upon actuation of the outer manually operable means is elfective tocause simultaneous swinging movement of both levers 27 and 34. Thelevers swing in counter directions and cause counter swinging movementof the pawls or detents 21 and 24 away from the respective upper andlower control plates 15.

Both pawls or detents 21 and 24 and the respective levers 27 and 34 areurged toward their normal nonactuated positions, as shown in FIG. 1, bya tension coil spring 39 which extends between the rivets 31 and 37.Since the arms 28 and 35 move away from each other upon actuation of thelevers 27 and 34, the tension of the spring 39 increases and the springacts to restore the levers and the detents to their FIG. 1 position uponrelease of the pressure exerted through the stem 32.

In addition to being operable from the outside of the vehicle door, thelevers 27 and 34 may be swung in detent disengaging direction by meansof inner manually operable means mounted on the vehicle door. As bestseen in FIG. 2, a bell crank lever 41 is pivotally mounted by means of apivot stud 42 on the flange 12 near the upper edge of the latter. Thebell crank lever 41 is provided with a substantially horizontallyextending arm 43 which underlies an offset extension 44 of the lever arm28. This arm extension 44 projects through a slot 45 in the flange 12,the slot 45 functioning as a guide for the end of the arm 28.

The bell crank lever 41 is provided with a second or substantiallyvertically extending arm 46 adapted to be coupled by a draft link (notshown) extending to a remote control mechanism (not shown) mounted onthe inner panel of the door. When the bell crank lever 41 is swung in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, its arm 43 will swingupwardly thereby lifting the arm 28 of the lever 27. This arm 28movement will result in the detent 21 being moved out of engagement withthe upper control plate 15. As happened when the push button stem 32 wasactuated to cause clockwise movement of the lever 27, clockwise movementof the lever 27 resulting from actuation of the bell crank lever 41results in counterclockwise movement of the lever 34 and thereforedisengagement of the detent 24 from the lower control plate 15.

As in any conventional door latch mechanism, provision is made forlocking the latch mechanism to prevent disengagement of the detents fromthe control plates holding the latch jaws in latched position, theposition shown in FIG. 3. In the present latch mechanism this isaccomplished by means of a locking lever, generally designated 47.Locking lever 47 is pivotally mounted on the flange 12 by means of apivot stud 48 and has a plurality of arms. These arms comprise anupstanding arm 49 terminating in a hook-like portion 51, a substantiallyhorizontally extending arm 52, and a substantially verti cally extendingarm 53. The horizontally extending arm 52 is coupled to a locking rod 54which projects through the garnish molding at the top of the vehicledoor inner panel. The vertically extending arm 53 is coupled to lever55. The lever 55 is mounted on a tubular rivet 56 mounted in the flange12. The tubular rivet is adapted to receive the stem end (not shown) ofa conventional key cylinder mechanism accessible at the outer panel ofthe vehicle door.

The locking lever is shown in latch mechanism locked position. That is,the hook-like portion 51 on the end of the arm 49 is hooked over theextension 44 of the lever arm 28 of the release lever 27. This rendersthe lever 27 immovable. It will be readily apparent, that when the lever27 is held against movement, neither the inner manually operable means(bell crank lever 41) nor the outer manually operable means (push buttonstem 32) may be actuated to cause disengagement of the detents 21 and 24from the respective control plates 15. The latch mechanism is thus saidto be in locked condition.

A toggle spring 57 holds the locking lever positively in either lockedor unlocked position.

To complete the physical description of the present latch mechanism,attention is called to the tension spring 58 extending between the upperand lower control plates 15. When the parts of the latch mechanism arein the relationship shown in FIG. 1, the spring 58 is extended or underincreased tension. Upon disengagement of the detents from the controlplates, the spring 58 will drive both control plates 15 and thereby bothjaw elements 13 to their unlatched positions. Upon the jaws 13 engaginga striker pin as the vehicle door is moved from an opened to a closedposition, the control plates 15 will be rotated in counter directionsagainst the resistance of and again placing the spring 58 under tension.

The latch elements are mounted in an appropriate housing 59 (see FIG.3). The wall surfaces 61 and 62 of the housing on each side of theopening through which the striker or keeper pin is admitted act as stopsto limit the movement of the latch elements in opening direction and toinsure that the latch elements are positioned so that they will be readyto engage the striker pin as the door is moved from an open to a closedposition. As the door is moved to a closed position, the striker pinwill seat in one or the other of the recesses 17. This causes thestriker pin to be guided into engagement with the recess 17 in the otherjaw element so that both jaw elements fully engage the striker pin onopposite sides as they are swung against the resistance of the spring 58toward the fully'latched position shown in FIG. 3. The detent abutmentportions 23 and 26 will then on gage the control plate ratchet teeth 18or 19' so that the jaw elements are restrained against movement in anunlatching direction.

In fully latched position, the center of the striker pin will be locatedsubstantially at the center of the circular notches or recesses 17. Infully latched position this center lies over-center from a line drawnbetween the pivot axes of the two jaw elements. This relationship issuch that any forces tending to separate the two jaw elements will notbe in the direction of opening movement of the door but will be ratherin the direction of closing movement, and thus the tendency would be tourge the door more fully in a closed direction.

It is believed that the operation of the present latch mechanism isevident from the foregoing description, but that a brief restatement maybe helpful to a full understanding of the mechanism. When the jawelements are in unlatched position, a position in which they would befacing toward the opening in the housing on the front face of the latchmechanism, the detent projection 23 on the detent 21 and the detentprojection 26 on the detent 24 will lie on what may be termed the camsurfaces 63 of the control plates 15, i.e., the curved surfaces behindthe ratchet teeth 19. Upon closing movement of the door, the jawelements will engage a striker pin which will force them toward the rearof the housing. Swinging movement of the jaw elements will betransmitted through the pivot shafts 14 to the control plates 15, theupper control plate rotating in a counterclockwise direction and thelower control plate rotating in a clock- Wise direction. The detentprojections 23 and 26 will merely override the ratchet teeth 19 and 18.

The detent projections will drop into engagement with the ratchet tooth19 on each control plate if insufficient force is applied in closing thedoor, but if sufficient force is applied both projections will drop intoengagement with the ratchet teeth 18 thereby maintaining the jawelements in fully latched position. If it is now desired to lock thedoors so that they cannot be opened, it is only necessary to .move therod 54 so that the locking lever 47 will be moved to place the hook-likeportion in blocking relation to the release lever 27 arm 28. As has beenexplained, lever 27 is thus rendered immovable and the detents cannot bedisengaged from the control plates 15.

The present latch mechanism cannot be placed in locked condition whenthe jaw elements 13 are in unlatched condition. The relationship of thedetent portions 23 and 26 of the detents to the cam surfaces 63 of thecontrol plates is such that the detents are displaced away from thecontrol plates when the jaw elements and the control plates are in latchmechanism unlatched position. The displacement of the detent 21 resultsin an upward displacement of the arm 28 of the lever 27 to an extentsufiicient to position the side face of the extension 44 in the path ofthe hook-like portion 51 of the locking lever 47. The latter cannot bemoved into its locking position shown in FIG. 2 until the extension 44is moved out of the Way of the hook-like portion 51, as occurs when thejaw elements and control plates are moved to fully latched position.

The foregoing applies to a situation in which the jaw elements are insecondary latched position, i.e., when the jaw elements are in aposition in which the detents are holding the control plates againstmovement in unlatching direction through engagement of the detentabutment portions 23 and 26 with the ratchet teeth 19. The depth of theundercut forward of each ratchet tooth 19 is such that the detents aredisplaced from their fully latched position to an extent sufficient tocause interference between the lever arm 28 extension 44 and thehook-like portion 51 of the locking lever 47. Thus, in secondary latchedposition of the jaw elements the locking lever 47 cannot be moved intolocking position.

I claim:

1. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door,

a support having a plate portion for disposition at a free edge wall ofthe door,

a pair of jaw elements pivotally mounted on said plate portion forcounter-swinging movement from an unlatched position to a latchedposition in which said jaw elements are adapted to engage a striker pintherebetween,

a pair of control plates mounted on said plate portion, each of which isfixedly coupled to one of said jaw elements for pivotal movementtherewith,

each control plate being provided with detent means engageable portions,

a pair of detent means each pivotally mounted on said plate portion andengageable with the detent means engageable portions on the respectivecontrol plates to hold said jaw elements in door latched position,

spring means biasing said jaw elements toward unlatched position,

manually operable means comprising a pair of levers each fixedly coupledto one of said detent means for moving the latter out of engagement withthe respective control plate engaged thereby,

said levers having coacting parts thereon through which movement of oneof the levers in detent means disengaging direction simultaneouslyresults in movement of the other lever in detent means disengagingdirection,

and tension spring means extending between said detent means yieldablyholding the latter in engagement with the respective control plates.

. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door,

a support having a plate portion for disposition at a free edge wall ofthe door,

a pair of jaw elements mounted on one side of said plate portion forcounter-swinging movement about spaced pivot axes from an unlatchedposition toward each other to a latched position between said pivotaxes,

a pair of control plates mounted on the opposite side of said plateportion,

each of said control plates being fixedly coupled to one of said jawelements for movement therewith,

each of said control plates being provided with detent means engageableportions,

a first and a second detent means each pivotally mounted on said plateportion for swinging movement about respective pivot axes spacedoutwardly of said first mentioned pivot axes,

said first and second detent means each being swingable respectivelytoward a respective one of said first mentioned pivot axes intoengagement with said control plate detent means engageable portions torestrain said jaw elements in latched position,

spring means biasing said control plates and thereby said jaw elementstoward unlatched position,

manually operable means comprising a pair of levers each fixedly coupledto one of said detent means for moving the latter out of engagement withthe respective control plates,

said lever having coacting parts thereon whereby movement of one of thelevers in detent means disengaging direction simultaneously results inmovement of the other lever in detent means disengaging direction,

and tension spring means extending between said detent means yieldablyholding the latter in engagement with the respective control plates.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,625,420 1/ 1953Endter.

2,859,995 11/1958 Rigaud 292-53 2,946,613 7/ 1960 Roethel 292--2293,206,237 9/1965 Rocthel 29248 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A LATCH MECHANISM FOR A SWINGING DOOR, A SUPPORT HAVING A PLATEPORTION FOR DISPOSITION AT A FREE EDGE WALL OF THE DOOR, A PAIR OF JAWELEMENTS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID PLATE PORTION FOR COUNTER-SWINGINGMOVEMENT FROM AN UNLATCHED POSITION TO A LATCHED POSITION IN WHICH SAIDJAW ELEMENTS ARE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A STRIKER PIN THEREBETWEEN, A PAIR OFCONTROL PLATES MOUNTED ON SAID PLATE PORTION, EACH OF WHICH IS FIXEDLYCOUPLED TO ONE OF SAID JAW ELEMENTS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREWITH, EACHCONTROL PLATE BEING PROVIDED WITH DETENT MEANS ENGAGEABLE PORTIONS, APAIR OF DETENT MEANS EACH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID PLATE PORTION ANDENGAGEABLE WITH THE DETENT MEANS ENGAGEABLE PORTIONS ON THE RESPECTIVECONTROL PLATES TO HOLD SAID JAW ELEMENTS IN DOOR LATCHED POSITION,SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID JAW ELEMENTS TOWARD UNLATCHED POSITION,MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF LEVERS EACH FIXEDLY COUPLEDTO ONE OF SAID DETENT MEANS FOR MOVING THE LATTER OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITHTHE RESPECTIVE CONTROL PLATE ENGAGED THEREBY, SAID LEVERS HAVINGCOACTING PARTS THEREON THROUGH WHICH MOVEMENT OF ONE OF THE LEVERS INDETENT MEANS DISENGAGING DIRECTION SIMULTANEOUSLY RESULTS IN MOVEMENT OFTHE OTHER LEVER IN DETENT MEANS DISENGAGING DIRECTION, AND TENSIONSPRING MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID DETENT MEANS YIELDABLY HOLDING THELATTER IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RESPECTIVE CONTROL PLATES.